'(1) In relation to a child brought into the United Kingdom for adoption where section 80 applies, each local authority must, at the request of

(a)

the adopters or prospective adopters,

(b)

the child, or

(c)

any other person who falls within a description prescribed by regulations made under subection (3)

carry out an assessment of that person's needs for adoption support services.

(2) Where, as a result of an assessment, a local authority decides that a person has needs for adoption support services under this section, they must then provide such services to that person.

(3) Regulations

(a)

shall prescribe the upper limit of any fees charged by a local authority to any person who engages in the actions described in section 80, in relation to those actions,

(b)

may prescribe the persons to be included within subsection 1(c).'.

Extension of the Convention to Northern Ireland

Mr Robert Walter

NC4

To move the following Clause

'(1) Her Majesty may by Order in Council provide for giving effect to the Convention in Northern Ireland.

(2) An Order in Council under subsection (1) in respect of Northern Ireland may, in particular, make any provision corresponding to provision which in relation to any part of Great Britain is made by the Adoption (Intercountry Aspects) Act 1999 or may be made by regulations under section 1 of that Act.'.

Intermediary services

Kevin Brennan
Mr Elfyn Llwyd

NC5

To move the following Clause:

(1) Regulations may require adoption agencies to provide an intermediary service at the request of an adopted person, or a birth relative of an adopted person.

(2) Where the intermediary service is requested by a birth relative of an adopted person, the regulations may provide that the Adoption Agency shall use such information as is available to it to contact the adopted person, and notify them of the request of the birth relative to receive identifying information about the adopted person.

(3) But regulations made by virtue of subsection (2) shall provide that information as to the identity of the adopted person shall only be given to the birth relative with the consent of the adopted person.'.

'Foster carers and adopters shall be required to be covered by insurance for legal proceedings that might result from any complaints of negligence or failure to provide sufficient information on the part of adoption agencies.'.

'Any persons involved in the adoption or fostering process has the right to be informed of the power of the Secretary of State regarding lack of compliance on the part of local authorities and voluntary agencies.'.

'Babies relinquished voluntarily to adoption at birth by a parent must be placed as soon as practicable with the prospective adopters with due regard to the birth-parents' rights to alter the arrangements within given time specifications.'.

EXCERPT FROM THE ORDER OF THE HOUSE

Proceedings in Special Standing Committee

3.(1) Proceedings in the Special Standing Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion on Thursday 17th January 2002.

ORDER OF THE COMMITTEE (27TH NOVEMBER)

That

(1)

during proceedings on the Adoption and Children Bill the Special Standing Committee do meet on Tuesdays at half-past Ten o'clock and at half-past Four o'clock and on Thursdays at half-past Nine o'clock and half-past Two o'clock;

(2)

20 sittings in all shall be allotted to the consideration of the Bill by the Committee;

(3)

the proceedings to be taken on the sittings shall be as shown in the second column of the Table below and shall be taken in the order so shown;

(4)

the proceedings which under paragraph (3) are to be taken on any sitting shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the time specified in the third column of the Table;

(5)

paragraph (3) does not prevent proceedings being taken (in the order shown in the second column of the Table) at any earlier sitting that that provided for under paragraph (3) if previous proceedings have already been concluded.